The Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) signed a memorandum of agreement on Thursday, 29 October, in Taguig City to provide skills training and livelihood opportunities for beneficiaries of government housing programs. SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa and TESDA Director General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez signed the document, which aims to expand employment and income‑generating options for housing beneficiaries. “This is a momentous occasion not only for us but also for our thousands of beneficiaries,” Laxa said. “As directed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., we want our programs to be more transformative and responsive to the needs of our beneficiaries.” The first phase of the partnership will serve approximately 150 families in the Megaville 2 Homeowners Association, which is part of SHFC’s Enhanced Community Mortgage Program under the government’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) initiative. Qualified beneficiaries will be able to access technical and vocational training in automotive servicing, bread and pastry production, dressmaking, bartending, and plumbing. The program will also cover digital skills such as virtual assistant services, data analytics, and social media content creation to help participants pursue employment or start small businesses. Benitez highlighted TESDA’s role in equipping residents of government housing communities with marketable skills. “Mandato po ng TESDA ang magbigay ng skills development, particularly for resettlement sites for the urban poor, na kliyente naman talaga ng SHFC,” he said. Laxa noted that the collaboration follows a directive from Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling to strengthen partnerships with government agencies and extend assistance beyond providing homes and land titles. The agreement was signed two days after SHFC entered into a separate memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Reclamation Authority to explore a vertical housing project in Metro Manila. SHFC said the partnership is intended to help housing beneficiaries achieve financial stability through sustainable employment and livelihood opportunities.
Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune